Apparatus for the distillation of alcohol



Dec. 8, 1931. E. 1. CLAPP 1,835,848

:APPARATUS FOR THE DISTILLATION OF ALCOHOL Filed June 8, 1926 D,ASSIGNOR T U. s. INDUSTRIAL aLcoIIoL co., A CORPORATION or WEST VIRGINIAAPPARATUS Foie" THE DIsTILLATIoN or ALCOHOL f Application 'led .Tune 8,

apparatus whereby reed from .its impurities,

and having a highstrength,

A further object is to for this pur ose which is owing to the i) rstcolumn. A further object 1s to obtain with my apparatus an alcoholhaving a uniform quality. Another object is to provide an apparatuswhichcan be readily and accurately controlled. Still another object is to otain a fusel oil and alcoholl mixture Again, another object is to a-verylow my invention refnel .fusel oil. provi e an a aratus havin initiallcost. Fllither objects o? will appear from the detailed aothe same'hereinafter. e

ile my invention is capable of being carried out in many different Ways,I shall describe only one-.t of apparatus in the acin which,

compan ing drawing The figure is a diagrammatic elevation of 1naccordance with my anapparatus made Invention.

For example,

in carrying out my invention beer contamlng approximatel 5 to 10% byvolume of ethyl alcohol, is initlally heated by passing the same from asupply pipe 1 to a dephlegmator 2 and thence by means of a trapped pipe3 into a distillln column 4 p which hasv a vapor outlet 5 lea ing to the'40 dephlegmator 2 and a trapped draw-oli' .pipe 6 for the slop. It willbe understood that, 1f desired, the pipe 3 for conveying the beer to thecolumn 4 may pass also through a preheater heated by-means of the pipe6. For this purpose the pipe 3 may be extended down'- wardly through apreheater 6a, whlch may be 'heated by reason of the fact that the pipe 64 may be extended to the same and p1pe 6b being provided for the drawingof of the mate- 0 rials supplied through the pipe t. Live steam byimpurities may be readily act that no water need be added f except inthe case of any steam injected in the th description of 192e. seriaLNo.114,400.

this point, which should be maintained at approxlmately 8 5 C., inasmuchas'it is necesvapors having astrength of 95 to 96% at the top of thecolumn after passing through the .gp upper portionsof the column 4,which acts as a rectifying unit. Also, just above the beer inlet it isfound "that the fusel oil or high iling impurities accumulate to theregreatest concentration in the column and, accordingly, I have at thatpoint provided a valved draw-off pipe 9 which is liquid-sealed andcommunicates with a tail-box l0, from which the fusel oil containingsome alcohol is 'drawn oil'. It will b'e understood that, if desired,this 90 fusel oil by-product containing alcohol may be furtherfractionated in a'still to produce refined fusel oil. The condensatefrom the dephlegmator 2 is returned to the top of the column 1 by atrapped pipe 11 while' the un'- condensed vapors pass out by a pipe 12to a condenser 13, which is cooled by plied by an inlet Th pipe 11 fromthe dephlegmator 2, said trap having a draw-ofi' pipe 20, provided witha valve 21,1eadingto a tail-box 22. The portion of the condensate whichreaches the tailbox 22 is conveyed then by a trapped pipe 23 to a secondrectifying column 24. Also, any vapors whichare not condensed in thecondenser 13 are conveved bv n, mmm. mm n: h

' pipe 3() -and a main the column 24. The vapor pipe 25 has a valve 26to control or shut ofi the same as desired. The temperature of 85 C., asindicated by the thermometer 8 is maintained by controlling the valve 21or by controlling the ow of water through the pipe 14 to the condenser13, or both. That is to say, if the temperature rises above 85 C. thisshows that a greater amoun of liquid should be refluxed to the column 4and this may be provided for by closing the valve 21 to a greater-'extent or by increasing the flow of cooling water through the pipe 14`or both.. A. safety liquid seal 27 is also connected to the pipe 25,said seal having a ventipe 28 so as to take care of any undue amount ofvacuuml or pressure which might at times be present in the apparatus.Indirect heatin for the column 24 is provided by a steam coi As a resultthe aldehydes and other low boiling constituents, and including somealthe column 24 by a vapor to a dephlegmator 31 cooled with a oi aninlet pipe 32 current of water by means condensate being and an outletpipe 33, the returned by a trapped pipe 34 to the column 24. Theuncondensed vapors then pass by a pipe 35 to a condenser 36 cooled by acurrent of water with the aid of an inlet pipe 37 and an outlet pipe 38.rhe condensate leaves the condenser 36 by a pipe 39 having a vent 40 topermit the escape of trapped pipe 41 to convey part ot the condensatethrough the pipe 34 to the column 24 draw-o pipe 42 for the aldehydesand low boiling constituents, including some alcohol. These low boilerspass through a tail-box 43 from which they may be drawn oil as desired.The purified ethyl alcohol having a strength of 95 to 96%' is conveyedaway from the column 24 by a trapped pipe 44 having a vent connection 45to the column, the alcohol being thence conveyed to a cooler 46 and fromthe cooler to a tail-box 47 to permit the withdrawal therefrom, asdesired. l 'v In the operation of my invention it will be understoodthat the apparatus may be operated in three dierent ways; first, byconveying vapors of alcohol, etc. through the pipe 25 to the column 24and no liquid from the pipe 23 to said column; second, by conveyingmerely the liquid through the pipe 23 and no vapors through the pipe 25;and third, by conveying both vapors through the pipe 25 and liquidthrough the pipe 23 to the column Saya In the first mode 'of operation,that is to by conveying vapors through'the pipe 25 and no liquid throughthe pipe 23, it willy be understood that the amount of watered into 14will be inprovide the necessary amount of condensate to be returned tothe column 4, .thus maintaining the roper temperature therein as abovereferred to. The apparatus is controlled accordingly uncondensed gases,a`

contain the low menare by controlling the iiow of cooling water to thecondenser 13. There is, thus, a great saving. in steam due to avoidingthe revaporization of condensed alcohol. However, very careful Controlis required in operating the process in this way as there is a lagbetween the adjustment and the amount of condensate prot duced.

In the second mode of operation, that isto say, in which no vapors areconveyed by the ipe 25 to the column 24 and in which the alcohol passesinto the column 24 merely by the pipe 23, the control, bymeans of thevalve 21, is very sensitive, but the operation is expensive owing to thegreat steam consumption due to the revaporization of the alcohol in thecolumn 24.

In the third mode of operation, infwhich the major portion of thealcohol is fed in the form of vapor by the pipe 25 to the column 24 andonly suliicient alcohol is conveyed in the liquid Jform by the pipe 23to the column 24 to column desirable conditions are obtained in that acomparatively low steam consumption is required. In carrying out theoperation in this way it will be understood that ordinarily the flow ofwater in the condenser 13 is set and the re, quired adjustments are madeby operating the Owing to the ease of operation of the apparatus in thisway, furthermore, the cost of labor is low and the product obtained isuniiorm.

In the operation oi my invention it will be understood, also, that inthe column 4 alcoholic vapors pass upwardly against a descend- I falcohol which is rich in high boiling impurities, while the residualundownwardly coholic vapors rich in low Also, in the column 24 theliquid alcohol, including the alcohol withdrawn into the column 24 bymeans oi the pipe 23, passes in a descending current against anascending current of alcoholic vapors which are rich in low boilingimpurities, the alcohol being drawn oil at the bottom of thecolumn whereit is at its greatest purity, while the vapors which boiling impuritiespass out the po-int of their through the pipe 30 at be condensedtheregreatest concentration to after and recovered. f

While I have described my invention above in detail I wish it tobeunderstood that many changes may be made therein without depart.

ingfrom the spirit of the same.

I claim: 1. In combination, a distilling column, an inlet for the same,a draw-oil for high boiling impurities therefrom above the inlet tosaidcolumn, a condenser connected to said column so as to receive vaporsproducedin the column, a rectifying column, a condenser boilingimpurities.

raaaaae connected to said last-mentioned column to receive aldehydevapors therefrom, a drawoff in said last-mentioned column for p edalcohol an inlet located near the middle ofthe rectifying column, aconduit for liquid from said rst-nientioned condenser to said inlet ,forsaid rectifying column, a vapor conduit from the first-mentionedcondenser to the rectifying column, and a controllin veyed thereby.

2. In combination, a distilling column, an inlet for the same, adraw-off for high boiling impurities therefrom above the inlet to saidcolumn, a condenser connected to said connected to said last-mentionedcolumn to receive aldehyde vapors therefrom, a draw? olf in saidlast-mentioned column, said conduits for regulating the relative amountsof liquid and vapor conveyed thereby.

3. In'combination,

convey vapors to said condenser, a column, a condenser connected tomentioned column to receive aldehyde vapors therefrom, a draw-off insaid last-mentioned an inlet located 4.? In combination, a distillingcolumn., a

rectifying column, a condenser connected to said lastf fying column, aconduit for liquid from said rst-mentioned condenser to said inlet forsaid rectifying column, a vapor conduit from lumn, said conduit for theliquid having a connection communicating With the lirst-mentionedc0ndenser to receive the liquid therefrom and to return it to thedistilling column, and a controlling regulating the relative amounts ofliquid and vapor conveyed thereb n combination, a distilling column, aninlet for the same, a draw-olf for high boiling impurities therefromabove the inlet to said column, a condenser connected to said column soas to receive vapors produced in the column, a dephlegmator adapted toreturn liquid to the column and connected between said column andcondenser so as to receive vapors from the column and convey vapors tosaid cond a condenser connected to said last-mentioned column to receivealdehyde vapors therefrom, a draw-olf in said last-mentioned column forpurified alcohol, an inlet located near the midd column so as to receivevapors in the column, a dephlegmator adapted to roff in saidlast-mentioned column for purified alcohol,

therefrom and return it to the distillin umn, and a controlling devicein one o said conduits for regulating the relative amounts of liquid andvapor conveyed thereby.v

condenser, a rectifyin connected to said lastdevice in one of saidconduits for enser, a rectifying column,

4 messes mentioned column to receive aldehyde vapors therefrom, adraw-off in said last-mentione column for puried alcohol, an inletlocated near the middle o the rectiiying column, a 5 conduit for liquidfrom said first-mentioned condenser to said inlet for said rectifyingcolumn, a vapor conduit from the first mentiqned condenser to therectiiying column, said conduit for the liquid having a connecm tioncommunicating with the first-mentioned condenser to receive the liquidtherefrom an return it to the distilling column with the returnedcondensate from the dephlegmator,- and a controlling device in one ofsaid conduits for regulating the relative amounts of liquid and vaporconveyed thereby.

8. In combination, a distilling column, an inlet for the same, adraw-ofi for high boiling impurities therefrom above the inlet to saidcolumn, a condenser connected to said column so as to receive vapors inthe column, a dephlegmator connected between said column and condenserso as to receive vapors from the column and convey vapors to saidcondenser, a rectifying column, a condenser connected to saidlast-mentioned column to receive aldehyde vapors therefrom, a drawoz' insaid last-mentioned column for purified alcohol, an inlet located nearthe4 middle of the rectifying column, a conduit for liquid from saidfirst-mentioned condenser to said inlet for said rectifying column, avapor conduit from the irst-mentioned condenser to the rectifyingcolumn, said conduit for the liquid having a connection communicatingwith the first-mentioned condenser to receive the liquid therefrom andreturn it to the distilling column with the returned condensate from thedephlegmator, and a controlling de# vice in one of said conduits forregulating the relative amounts o liquid and vapor conveyed thereby.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set may handthis 29th day of May, 1926.

ELWOOD I. CLAPP.

